Shadow Dance
by Rian Takkesin
Summary: How Shikamaru reconnects with his Will of Fire. A short one-shot featuring his little cousin


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I just like the characters.

Suski Nara hopped on one foot for a second. She quickly scanned the ground for the next shadow. She spotted one waving in the wind caused by the big tree to her left. She leapt, gracelessly, and landed in the middle of it. Her cherubic face lit up with a large smile as she bounced in exuberance.

"That was so far!" She exclaimed.

She spotted the next shadow, caused by a decrepit shed. It was even a further leap then the one she just conquered. With a running start, she launched herself in the air to land a foot or so shy of her goal. Her feet touched the sun warmed pavement and she frowned. Automatically her lower lip jutted out in a pout. A real ninja would have made that jump.

Her small pity party only lasted a few moments before she raced back up the road to the starting point, the entrance to the Nara clan's district. She stumbled and rolled over loose paving stones, all the while she made sounds of whooshing and clangs as she blocked imaginary shuriken.

As guardians of the forest and the deer that inhabited it, the road to the Nara dwellings was tree lined and sunset caused the precious shadows to stretch on almost infinitely.

"Ok!" She mumbled readying herself. "Watch the shadows." She repeated the mantra that her parents constantly parroted to her.

She took her first step, the shadow of a mailbox; second the shadow of a cat lazily sunning itself on a post; third the first great branch of a tree; fourth, fifth, sixth. Her face was drawn into a mask of concentration. It was hard to get her small body to perform with the precise nature that this game required. However, she hadn't missed yet.

Suski was so busy studying the ground, counting the shadows, that when a new one flashed perched on top of the building, she halted in confusion to stare at it. She couldn't see what made it, they were directly in front of the sun and the orange glare blinded her as she tried to look.

She turned away from the figure, and stared hard at the shadow. It was different somehow, darker and deeper than the light warranted. Then it began to stretch and gyrate. There was no new light source to explain this, so the shadow must be moving on its own.

"WOAH." She gaped.

She stared at it in confusion. It made a shape, that of a boy, his hands on his hips and his head thrown back in laughter. He had a spiky ponytail and a lithe frame. Suski glanced back at where the shadow originated, shielding her eyes with a cupped hand. There wasn't any indication that anyone was there. She stepped into the light, her game forgotten for the time being.

She couldn't interact with the boy-shadow, but maybe her shadow could. She raced into the light, so her dark profile faced the boy's. She waved, and the shadow waved back. She put her hands on her hips, and the shadow followed suit.

She laughed the sound joyous and bright. The boy shadow bowed and extended his hand, an invitation to dance. She giggled sweetly, and extended her own. It felt funny grasping at air, but suddenly there was a slight sensation on the tip of her fingers as her shadow touched the boys. She could feel his touch, as if someone had actually grasped her hand in his own.

There was a gentle tug as the boy shadow brought her shadow hand to his lips in a gentlemanly kiss. She curtsied, dipping clumsily in a child's attempt at the graceful move. The shadow boy tugged her into his arms and she was swept up into a dance. Suski skipped and hopped along the street, following the gentle guidance of the boy. Somehow, even though the shadows of the great trees, their waltz didn't halt.

She shrieked with joy. Her laughs echoed in the empty street. It lifted the somber mood that was so prevalent since the attack that leveled half the village.

"SUSKI NARA!" Her mother's voice cracked through the air like thunder. She paused in her play, and looked back at the entrance to the compound. Her troublesome mother was standing there with her hands on her hips.

"Mama! Mama! I was watching the shadows just like you told me to and one danced with me!" She raced back to her mother and grabbed her hand. She tugged her to where the shadow boy was.

Only he wasn't there.

She turned in a futile circle searching for her friend.

"Honey, there is nothing here." Her mother protested.

"He was right here!" She defended. "Where did he go?"

The shadows were back to normal, and they grew darker and longer as the sun sank behind the horizon. Her hand was encompassed by the warmth of her mother's. She tugged her despite her angry protests back into the compound and down the street.

She gave a lingering look over her shoulder, trying to make out the shadow-boy. Vowing to watch the shadows every chance she got.

Shikamaru allowed himself a small grin. He knew that messing his young cousin was an abuse of his shinobi powers. However, her laughs, her joy, and her adorable confusion lifted the burden of the hard mission he just finished.

She was the Will of Fire, the reason that he took missions. The smile made it all worth it.

This is just a fluff piece. Please Review!


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